Application For Member-at-Large

Board Service Position: Member at Large

Current Service Body

Virtual Region

Years in Overeaters Anonymous 25 years

Qualifications

I confirm that I meet all qualifications as listed above and defined in Virtual Region Bylaws, Article V – The Virtual Region Board.

Brief account of your OA story

I attended my first OA meeting in October of 2000. My abstinence date is February 18, 2001. I have done only one thing perfectly in my OA recovery- I keep coming back.

 

My physical recovery story is a gift from God. I came to the program desperate for a solution to my eating disorder. I was very overweight and suffering the physical effects of being overweight. Through working the steps with my sponsor, I learned to surrender my food to God. Each day in recovery I continue to let God guide my food choices. At the same time, I realize I need to do the footwork to make food choices that fall within my plan of eating. Being relieved of the obsession on a daily basis has been a gift of my recovery.

 

My emotional recovery continues to unfold. When I came into the program, I only knew one emotion: anger. Through abstinence and again working the steps, I am now able to experience a multitude of feelings. I’ve learned that feelings aren’t facts and experiencing them is a gift of recovery. I’ve learned to work through those situations that used to lead to uncontrolled eating and uncontrolled self loathing. In recovery, I’ve come to be grateful for the blessing and lessons that feelings offer.

 

My spiritual recovery is a miracle. I came into program unwilling to pray and angry with the God I’d had up to that point; and frankly not sure I was in need of any further “religion.” Learning about spirituality and a God of my understanding brought about a profound change in my life. I now pray frequently and have meditated regularly for years. I credit my connection with my Higher Power to be the mainstay of my program now.

 

Through the gift of recovery, I have gone from a life of misery and despair, to a life that is happy, joyous, and free from obsession. I continue to grow in the program, one day at a time, through commitment to abstinence, working the steps, following the principles, and using the tools. The most important thing in my OA recovery history is how I continue to learn to “Let Go and Let God.”

 

I live in recovery mode now – using the steps, practicing the traditions, knowing the concepts, and serving HP and others.

Summary of your OA Service

Personal: Sponsor, Service Sponsor, 12th Stepper, Retreat Leader (S,T,&C; various recovery topics)

 

Group: You name it – I’ve done it at least once. We Care, Chips, Literature, Secretary, Business Meeting Chair, schlepper of important meeting stuff, Treasurer, Speaker, Opener, Leader, trained groups on zoom during the pandemic, zoom host, zoom meeting leader.

 

Intergroup: Rep (2002-5), Treasurer (AHI 2002), Chair AHI (10-2003 to 1-2005), Unification Committee Co-Chair (2004-5), Chair ASDI (1-2005 to 6-2005), Summer Retreat (2002-10) worker, Refreshment Chair, Raffle Chair, Speaker Liason Co-Chair; Retreat Program Chair (2006, 2010); Retreat CoChair (2009);R3 Convention/Assembly Program Chair 8-2004, South and East England Delegate to OAGB, South and East England Executive Secretary, South and East England Retreat CoChair, South and East England TSW Chair.

 

NSB Delegate to OAGB NSB. Served as service sponsor for several NSB board members. Served as parliamentarian at 2 assemblies and centre mic at one for OAGB.

 

Region III: Representative (2003-5), Ways, Means & Finance committee (2003-5), R3 Vice Chair 2005-06; R3 Chair 3-2007-2011.

 

Region 9: Delegate, Finance Committee, Chair 2013-19, Translations Committee, BL Committee. Also served as parliamentarian after my service as Chair.

 

Virtual Region: Centre Mic Monitor for VR assemblies; Editor for Convention recordings (Digital committee); CoChair for Data Committee(2 years) Helped develop and start the Tech Sub-committee; Data Coordinator Nov 2023-present (11-2026), Worked with Assembly Support Team 3 years.

 

WSBC: Delegate (2003-5), HIPM Delegate Co-Chair (2003-5), Unity with Diversity Committee WSBC 3 years (through 2009), Region Chairs Committee (2007 to 2011 for R3 and R9), Delegate for R3 2007-2011 (as Region Chair for Unrepresented Groups), Region Chairs Committee Chair (2009-2010) Delegate for R9 during my 2 terms. Served as Centre Mic Monitor for WSBC the 2 years it was virtual.

Skills and experience you can bring to the Role

The personal skills I possess that would be beneficial to this position are: enthusiasm, organization, good listening, flexibility, supportiveness, and good decision making (with the help of HP).


During my working career as an insurance loss adjustor I became well practiced in negotiating, mediating, customer service, handling difficult customers and complaints, employee development and training, and public speaking. During the course of my employment I also developed general skills. I am able to work well independently or within a group. Within a group I am willing and able to evaluate and solve problems, take the initiative, compromise or lead where necessary. I have good literacy and computer skills. I am attentive to details but also excel at being able to see the whole picture.

 

I have also worked with teenagers in business enterprise helping them to develop their own businesses. In this role I worked in many fields including marketing, accounting, sales and capitalisation. I also worked with adolescents in my church as a youth leader which involved developing programs for teens and training youth leaders state wide.


During a difficult period in my church, I stepped into a more advanced leadership position. I was instrumental in developing structure for running the church, planning and managing special events, plus coordinating and facilitating community meetings of church leaders. I was instrumental in leading and inspiring others through my service work. I played a crucial role during which time the church began to recover from financial difficulties and the loss of our minister.

 

As a region chair, and a member of the regions chair’s committee, I have further developed my leadership skills and have also learned much more about working with others.


I first served in the Virtual Region at the first assembly as the timer and then continued to serve at assemblies as Centre Mic until joining the Digital Committee as an editor of recordings from conventions. All of those positions brought me more skills and more experience in areas of meeting virtually.

 

Working in the Data area in the Virtual Region I have more experience now with GDPR, Data Protection, and also many technical skills (Google drive, google drive admin, Constant Contact) which I learned in my current position.

 

All the skills stated above plus in doing OA service I have learned to look for the spiritual solutions– always.

Why do you want to be a member of the Virtual Region Board?

I am currently the Data Coordinator on the VR Board. I want to continue my service to the OA Virtual Region on the board but would like to serve in a different capacity now. For me this is practicing rotation of service. I am proud of the accomplishments of the Data Committee and the Tech sub-committee while I served there. I believe the broad range of experience I’ve had in my various service positions over the years will be an asset serving in the Member at Large position.


Date of Application
September 16, 2025

Member-at-Large Position Description

August 2025

Bylaws

ARTICLE 5 - THE VIRTUAL REGION BOARD

Section 2 – Qualification for the Virtual Region Board

Qualifications for the Virtual Region board are:

  1. Two years of service beyond the group level,
  2. Two years of continuous recovery in Overeaters Anonymous as evidenced by:
  1. Two years of current abstinence
  2. It shall be a requirement that the officer shall demonstrate continued recovery, including abstinence and working towards or maintaining a healthy body weight throughout the entire term(s) of office.
  3. Each person shall be the judge of their recovery,
  1. Having worked the Twelve Steps and having a working understanding of the Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts of OA Service.
  2. Have attended at least one prior Virtual Region assembly within the past 36 months as a voting member or service volunteer.
  3. When a board position cannot be filled in line with these qualifications the qualifications listed in paragraphs 1 through 3 above may be set aside by a two thirds majority of the Virtual Region Board or Assembly.

Section 5 – Election of the Virtual Region Board Members

  1. Nominees must be present for election.
  2. Elections will be held at the last assembly of the calendar year unless otherwise required by these bylaws.
  3. Each board member is elected for a two-year term.
  4. Chair, treasurer, and data coordinator are elected in odd years.
  5. Vice-Chair, secretary and digital coordinator are elected in even years.
  6. Nominees will have five minutes to address the assembly and five minutes for questions.
  7. When board elections coincide with that of the Virtual Region trustee, the trustee ballot shall be completed first.
  8. For election, the candidate must receive a majority of the ballots cast.
  9. If there are more than two nominees and no nominee receives a majority, the candidate receiving the lowest number of votes will be dropped from consideration and another vote will be taken.
  10. If there are two candidates and neither receives a majority, a second ballot will be taken.

Policies and Procedures

4. Duties of Board Members

  1. Serve as guardian of the Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts of OA Service.
  2. Perform the duties of their offices in accordance with the Bylaws and this Virtual Region Policy and Procedure Manual.
  3. Serve as guardian of Virtual Region funds, including review of the annual financial audit.
  4. Provide a forum for the interchange of ideas and information among Virtual Region Service Bodies and Virtual Region committees.
  5. Attend all assemblies during term of office unless excused by the chair.
  6. Become familiar with and assume responsibility for adherence to: Virtual Region and World Service Office Bylaws and this Policy and Procedure Manual.
  7. Assists others in becoming familiar with the Twelve Traditions and Twelve Concepts of OA Service.
  8. Reports:
  1. Submit a written report to the virtual region at least 60 days prior to the next assembly.
  2. At the assembly, present an update to the written report for up to five minutes and then answer questions for an additional five minutes.
  1. Respond to all correspondence, phone calls, and questions in a timely manner.
  2. Maintain a consolidated record of all assets, including passwords for security protection as directed by the chair and the data coordinator.
  3. Administers the Virtual Region meeting platform.
  4. Upon completion of service term, provides the successor with any information and documents from their service period via either written or electronic media.
  5. Serve as board liaison to committees as determined by the chair.

Assembly 2 2025 Additional Proposed Duties:

5. Board Members Duties by Position

G. Member at Large

  1. Supports Board Officers in communications with members, meetings, and service bodies, including responding to inquiries.
  2. Assists other officers in providing regular updates to members, meetings, and service bodies.
  3. Provides backup and may temporarily perform the duties of any Board member except the Chair.

Undertakes other duties as assigned.